Poverty not barrier for Education - Nurture Merit

Dear well wishers

Wishing you & your family a Happy New Year 2020.

During the calendar year 2019 we continued our mission of Empowering rural economically challenged youth by providing Support for their Higher Education and Skill development through our flagship Nurture Merit Program. We also had programs made for high school children. The initiative to Nurture the Non-academic talent in selected fields is gaining momentum.

Nurture Merit Program is a well-designed, structured and focused program to support bright students coming from economically challenged families to continue their post 10th education to enable them to be graduate and thus relating a meaningful employment or self-employment.

In 2019, a total amount of INR 91.5 lakhs was disbursed as financial assistance to 1295 students.

Statistical details

• 2400+ houses visited by volunteers across 58 talukas to identify deserving students
• 65% of the beneficiaries were girls
• 91% of students supported are from rural regions of 9 districts of Karnataka
• During the year more than 1100 students were trained through various skill training initiatives till December 2019.
• 5000 rural youths made use of the 5 Libraries/Knowledge resource centers located at Hubli, Bijapur, Belgaum, Sirsi & Davangere
• During this year 309 students will be completing their Graduation degree and will start their career.
• Overall in last 15 years more than 4600 students have completed their Graduation and out of which 3400+ students have been employed and started supporting their families.

Thank you for your kindness in recognizing that we have many students who needed assistance. Vidya Poshak team is grateful to all our donors, volunteers, community, the alumni and families that donated and supported the students. 

Nurture Merit Program - An initiative to support the underprivileged bright students to pursue higher levels of literacy leading to employment under Vidya Poshak’s Nurture Merit program.

Nurture Merit Program (Financial Assistance + Library services + Training)

Is a well-designed, structured and focused project to support bright students coming from economically challenged families. The support is extended to post 10th grade students to continue their college/higher education till completion of graduation leading to meaningful employment. The project has the following integrated services.

• Financial Assistance: This will cover college fees and exam fees. Along with this additional amount for coaching facilities is given for top performers. For some extreme need based cases (10%) additional amount is also given to cover room and boarding 

• Books & Library Services: Academic Text books are lent to our student beneficiaries through libraries and book bank located in rural places. Student will get academic text books on their demand to read for 1-year and then the same books are put in circulation. 

• Training through Residential BridgeCamps: Arranging various skill and need based training for our beneficiaries through residential bridge camps to enhance communication/life skills and employment opportunities. Along with this to ensure creating good, sensitive citizens for the society.

For the academic year 2019-20 we have overall 1400 students under our program. Out of which 400 students were inducted newly. 100 students were studying in various Engineering courses and 200 students were pursuing various semi professional courses. 

During the months of August and September we have completed the financial support of 700 students with about INR 52.0 Lakhs.

During the month of October & Novermber the remaining 700 students will be provided the financial support. For this we would be needing another INR 55.0 Lakhs funds which we are already in process of raising the same from our donors.

Nurture Merit Program Highlights 1st Qtr 2019-20

The application process for the new academic year 2019-20 started from 1^st May 2019, till date we have received more than 3500 eligible applications from 10 districts of Karnataka. The students who have completed Class 10 in the current academic year and Class 12 are eligible to apply for the Nurture Merit Program.

Once the last date for application is over our volunteers will complete the poverty assessment through a physical house visit and meeting the students and parents. We are planning to induct 400 new students for the year 2019-20 along with supporting the existing 1200 students.

Class 11 & 12 result analysis

• 99.00% of the students were successful in the exam
• 31.00 %  of the students scored 90% and above
• 65.55 % of the students scored  80%  and above 
• 45 students scored 100% in one or more subjects    

Financial support to continue higher education for deserving meritorious students from economically deprived segment of the society is the identity of Vidya Poshak from past 18 long years. The meritorious students coming from economically impoverished families who cannot afford to continue their post 10th education are assisted financially to peruse their collegiate education both in professional as well as non-professional courses.

In the year 2018 more than 2700 students applied for financial support from 10 districts of Karnataka. Our esteemed volunteers visited more than 1900+ student houses from about 500 villages & small towns and selected 374 deserving students based on their merit and poverty level. The short listing was done after meeting the students and family members in their home personally to understand their economic status.

As per the established norms “renewal of financial” aid has also been done during the financial year. Totally 1027 renewal students financially assisted.

Key highlights of the Financial Assistance program for the year 2018-19

• 100% applicants home was visited by the volunteers
• 62% of the students supported were girl.
• 80% of students supported are from rural regions of 10 Districts of Karnataka
• In the 2018-19 253 students successfully completed graduation.
• 3 students passed Charted Accountancy examination and became a Charted Accountant.

Financial Assistance Break –Up 2018-19

No of students 1401

Amount assisted in Lakhs : 132.23

Professional Courses : 185

Amount assisted in Lakhs : 66.7

Non- Professional Courses : 1216

Amount assisted in Lakhs : 65.53

Dear well wishers

Our hearty gratitude for your continued support in our endeavor of empowering the educational community. We are on the verge of completing 18 years of existence. During the calendar year 2018 we continued to engage college students through our flagship Nurture Merit Program. We also had programs made for high school children. The initiative to Nurture the Non-academic talent in selected fields is gaining momentum.

Nurture Merit Program is a well-designed, structured and focused program to support bright students coming from economically challenged families to continue their post 10th education to enable them to be graduate and thus relating a meaningful employment or self-employment.

In 2018, a total amount of INR 83 lakhs was disbursed as financial assistance to 1279 students.

Statistical details

• 2600+ houses visited by volunteers across 68 talukas to identify deserving students
• 64% of the beneficiaries were girls
• 90% of students supported are from rural regions of 10 districts of Karnataka
• During the year 331 students were trained through 7 Residential Bridge camps till December, 2018 and 4 more are planned for the 4th quarter of the academic year 2018-19.
• 5000 rural youths made use of the 5 Libraries/Knowledge resource centers located at Hubli, Bijapur, Belgaum, Sirsi & Davangere